From Chalus, Leila turned west and followed the Caspian Sea for a little over thirty kilometers, passing the town of Abas Abad. To the left appeared a forest. Pancho directed Leila to drive off-road into the woods far enough so they couldn’t be seen from the highway. There they waited for darkness.
“Dr. Khamenei, where is your husband being held hostage?” Alex asked.
“In Lebanon.”
Alex bit off a curse. Of course he wouldn’t be held somewhere close.
“Who is holding him in Lebanon?”
“Hezbollah. My husband was teaching Farsi in Tripoli. At the beginning of last year, some of his students became swept up in the Arab Spring, and they encouraged him to join them. His students supported Lebanon and opposed Syria’s interference in Lebanon’s government. Of course, Syria was not happy. Syria’s close ally Iran was not happy, either. Both Syria and Iran continue to fund Hezbollah in order to take control of Lebanon. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards trained Hezbollah and continue to train them. Naturally, Syria and Iran have told Hezbollah to squash the Arab Spring. Hezbollah tortured my husband and many of his friends. Other friends of his were executed. I didn’t want to do the work I do, but the Iranian government told me that if I did, they would make sure Hezbollah didn’t torture my husband. They would make sure Hezbollah wouldn’t kill him. My government said that when I completed my work, they’d get my husband released from prison. Hezbollah didn’t kill my husband because Iranian leaders know that if my husband dies, I won’t help them with their biological weapon. But I found out that Hezbollah still tortures him. I need you to free him as soon as possible.”
“Then you’ll tell us the location of Iran’s biological weapons lab?” Alex asked.
“Gladly.”
“Just what is it that they’re researching at this top-secret lab?”
“They’re researching a more deadly strain of the bubonic plague—Black Death. In the fourteenth century it started in China and killed thirty percent of their population—twenty-five million people. Rat fleas carried the plague and lived on rats that sneaked onto merchant ships that sailed to Europe, where it killed about half of Europe’s population. In total, the Black Death killed four hundred fifty million people.
“Recently our scientists went to Madagascar to study a strain that resists streptomycin, tetracycline, and six other antibiotics. The scientists brought back the Madagascar Black Death bacterium and crossbred it with pneumonic plague, creating a hybrid that can be carried by fleas and infect the human respiratory system. Our scientists also treated the hybrid with small doses of other drugs so the bacterium would become resistant to all antibiotics. The scientists completed the twenty-first strain. They called it Madagascar Black Death Twenty-One, or MBD21. Our government plans to infect rat fleas with the virus, so we are raising superior breeds of rat fleas that reproduce more fleas and live longer. Then the scientists will infect the rat fleas with MBD21 and infest the United States. Because the bacterium carries the characteristics of pneumonic plague, it can also be transmitted from human to human by coughing or sneezing. You can imagine, with all the advances in travel since the fourteenth century, how quickly the virus will spread today. The scientists calculate with ninety-nine percent reliability that MBD21 will destroy at least half the U.S. population.”
“We better shut these guys down, pronto,” Pancho said.
At 0145, Pancho and John slipped out of the woods and across the highway into the trees bordering a construction site. Next to the trees were houses, but the lights were out as if everyone had gone to sleep. Then at 0200, Pancho flashed an infrared signal into the Caspian Sea. Pancho was busy signaling and looking for a reply, and he couldn’t pay attention to what was happening around him, so John watched their immediate surroundings, guarding Pancho.
Ten minutes later, Alex escorted Leila and Dr. Khamenei out of the woods, across the street, and into the trees next to the construction site. There they linked up with Pancho and John. Alex could see a few white lights on the sea—none of them would belong to the Tigers.
Minutes later, Alex noticed a dark shape approaching them from the sea—the Tigers quietly paddled to shore. As they came closer, Alex recognized Lieutenant Zadeh, the rock star. He brought two men with him. It was no small feat to paddle the big black rubber boat using only three men. Alex and his crew met the Tigers, who’d dismounted in the shallow water. They helped Leila and Dr. Khamenei into the middle of the boat.
Then the SEALs and Tigers, half on the starboard side and half on the port side, held on to the boat and walked it into deeper water. The front two Tigers, one starboard and one port, jumped into the boat first, grabbed their paddles in the boat, and started paddling. Alex and Pancho continued to push the boat to sea until water came up to their knees. Alex jumped inside the boat on the starboard side and Pancho on the port side. Alex sat with his right knee resting on the outer rib and his left knee inside the boat on the deck. He grabbed his oar and paddled, as did Pancho. Similarly, John and Lieutenant Zadeh continued pushing the boat out to sea until the water rose too high up their legs for them to maneuver effectively. Then they hopped into the boat and started paddling. Lieutenant Zadeh also served as coxswain, steering them.
Silently the SEALs and Tigers paddled out to sea. Lights from one of the vessels headed toward them. The SEALs and Tigers couldn’t paddle faster than the approaching vessel’s engines. Lieutenant Zadeh tried to fire up their motor. It didn’t start. He tried again—nothing. On the third try it started. The engine was a special stealth motor, quieter than most boat engines, but it wasn’t as quiet as the oars. Lieutenant Zadeh twisted the throttle, and their black rubber boat jumped forward. The SEALs and Tigers stopped paddling and put their oars in the boat. When their boat hit waves, it caught air—which was thrilling for less than a second—then the boat came back down on the water hard, smashing Alex’s left knee. Even though Leila and Dr. Khamenei were in the middle of the boat, Alex didn’t know how they kept from getting bounced out. They were probably so scared that they were holding on for dear life. Soon their boat sailed out of the path of the approaching vessel. The vessel didn’t follow.
Two more lights floated ahead of them: one to the west and the other to the east. Lieutenant Zadeh cut between them. Again, neither vessel followed.
“Someone coming at us from the rear,” John said.
Alex looked behind and saw a boat approaching them with what looked like a searchlight—it was too far away to be sure.
Lieutenant Zadeh glanced over his shoulder. “Iranian patrol boat.” That was what Alex didn’t want to hear. The SEALs’ and Tigers’ little rubber boat with small weapons would be no match for a huge Iranian hunk of metal with big guns.
Up ahead to the north, in the middle of the sea, floated another vessel with its lights out. Lieutenant Zadeh steered east of it, passing the boat. The boat didn’t follow, and the Iranian patrol boat steered straight for the vessel with its lights out.
Lieutenant Zadeh continued north. The Iranian patrol boat stopped near the vessel with its lights out. Lieutenant Zadeh made a sharp turn left and headed east. Gradually, the land appeared closer and closer. Their boat slowed down and motored into the covered slip that looked like a warehouse from on land. Five and a half hours after launching their boat off the coast of Iran, they arrived safely in Neftcala, Azerbaijan.
Alex contacted JSOC to let them know they’d arrived with their precious cargo (PC): Dr. Khamenei. Alex relayed the information the doctor had given him about the top-secret lab and requested permission to rescue Dr. Khamenei’s husband. JSOC told Alex to “stand by.” Hoping to receive approval to launch a rescue, Pancho and John flew with their PC on a military flight to Stuttgart, Germany. Alex and Leila resumed their business cover and flew on Lufthansa to Frankfurt, then Stuttgart.
18
* * *
Tuesday, snow descended on the grounds of Patch Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany. Pancho and John turned over Dr. Khamenei to JSOC for hold
ing before joining Alex for the debrief. JSOC told Alex that he’d get a new team member for the possible rescue op, but the rescue op hadn’t been approved yet.
On base, the SEALs and Leila each checked into separate rooms at the Schwabian Inn, an above-average hotel by American standards that charged discounted military rates.
In the morning, Alex gave Leila the morning off to relax and shop while he, Pancho, and John went to JSOC’s intel “shed” for maps and information about the prison, such as door locks, window fasteners, skylights, alarms, and security.
Alex requested information about Dr. Khamenei’s husband and the Arab Spring movement in Lebanon. Alex also asked for intel on Gholam Khan and his two comrades at the hospital in Iran.
The SEALs discussed infiltrating Lebanon disguised as a documentary film crew there to film UNESCO World Heritage sites. They put together identities for each member of their team and asked JSOC to help them with weapons, supporting documents, equipment, and a safe house. At lunch, they gave Leila her identity and camerawoman role to study. Then the SEALs went back to the intel shed for the latest dump, which included photos of Dr. Khamenei’s husband. The SEALs continued with their planning.
After dinner, as Alex was finishing a hot shower, a knock came at his hotel room door. Steam rolled out of the bathroom with him. Expecting the new team member, Alex threw on shorts and a T-shirt. He looked through the peephole. There stood Leila, appearing calm as usual. Alex opened the door. She walked in and embraced him. Her enthusiasm was contagious.
After the door clicked shut behind her, Leila pulled off her blouse—she wasn’t wearing a T-shirt or bra. The rush of combat still lingered in Alex’s blood, and he was primed for action. Alex took off his T-shirt and they kissed. Leila dropped her skirt—she wore nothing but smooth skin. Alex dropped his shorts, and they embraced. A knock sounded at the door. Alex ignored it.
“Alex,” a familiar female voice called. It was Cat.
Alex was confused as to why she was there, and the memory of his relationship with her collided with his feelings for Leila. Without thinking, he picked up his shorts and put them on.
“Who is she?” Leila whispered.
The knock sounded again.
Alex put on his T-shirt. “Cat.”
“Who is Cat?” Leila asked quietly.
“Alex?” Cat said.
He picked up Leila’s clothes and handed them to her.
Concern filled Leila’s face as she took her clothes and put them on.
“Alex, are you okay?” Cat asked.
No, I’m not okay. He was free-falling without a parachute. He was about to hurt two women at the same time. Lower and lower he dropped—soon he would crash and burn. “Just a moment,” he answered. Alex opened the door.
Cat burst in with a big smile on her face. She looked like she was about to hug Alex, until she noticed Leila. Cat’s smile disappeared.
“Cat, this is Leila,” he said.
Cat’s eyes examined Leila’s blouse; part of it was untucked. Cat spoke Arabic to Leila.
Leila responded in English, “I am Iranian. I speak Farsi, not Arabic. Are you Arab?”
“My grandmother is Lebanese.” Cat’s blond hair and fair skin didn’t pass for Arab, but when she put on a dark wig and dark makeup, she became Lebanese. Cat’s eyes shifted to Alex and she asked, “What are you dressed for?”
“I just stepped out of the shower,” Alex said.
The three of them stood quietly for an awkward moment.
“What brings you here?” Alex asked.
“Am I not welcome?” Cat asked.
“I didn’t say that,” Alex said.
“You’re not making me feel welcome,” she said.
“I wasn’t expecting you,” Alex said, feeling totally out of his depth.
“I can see that.”
Alex struggled to come up with something to say. “We agreed it’d be okay to see other people.” The moment he said it he knew he should have thought longer.
Cat’s eyes went steely. “That seems to have worked well for you.”
“I heard you and Hammerhead were seeing each other,” Alex said, letting his jealousy take over.
Cat looked at the ceiling and huffed. “Hammerhead? Oh, please. Who in their right mind would believe that?”
Alex was about to say he did, but realized that when you’re in a hole you stop digging. “I didn’t.”
“Really?” Cat said. “Because from the looks of things, it appears that you used it to justify something.”
Alex longed to be back in combat. “Leila is a good friend.”
Now Leila huffed. “Is that what I was?”
Alex didn’t know what to say without pounding himself deeper into the ground.
“Maybe a better question would be ‘What am I now?’ ” Leila said.
Alex looked at Leila then Cat. “I need some time to think.”
“Time!” Cat said. “I wasted a lot of it on you. What you need is to take those feelings out of those little boxes you keep sticking them in. What you need is to learn how to love. Without love, you’ll keep living in that lonely little dysfunctional world of yours.”
Alex glared at her.
“Don’t give me that look,” Cat said. “I’m the one who should be pissed. Go ahead and be pissed. It’s one of the few emotions you do well—and I wouldn’t want to take that away from a man suffering in emotional poverty.”
“Are you finished?”
“I’m reporting for duty. JSOC sent me. There’s no one else. So when you’re finished laying Leila, let me know. My room is across from John’s.” She turned to Leila and said calmly, “You can have him.” Cat quietly walked out the door.
Alex wanted to slam the door on Cat. I know how to love. My world isn’t dysfunctional. And I don’t live in emotional poverty. “I’m sorry,” Alex said. “I need some time.”
Leila put her hand on Alex’s shoulder. “Just call me if you want to talk.” Leila walked out of his room.
I know how to love. My world isn’t dysfunctional. I don’t live in emotional poverty. The more he thought it, the less he believed it, so he stopped thinking it.
He didn’t know what to do about Cat and Leila, so he left his room and went to John’s room. The two sat down and Alex told him about his relationship with Leila and about Cat’s visit. Alex half expected John to throw a punch at him, but he just listened and nodded.
“What should I do?” Alex asked. “I’ve let enough relationships slip through my fingers, and I don’t want it to happen again. I cared about Cat; hell, I still do. And Leila, man, I’m sorry. I should have said no. And now that Cat is here, I’m confused.”
John laughed. “Oh, to have your problems!”
“Then what should I do?”
John thought for a moment. “Look, if this was a tactical situation I’d have your back one hundred percent, but I can’t tell you what to do. Yeah, I like Leila, but I mean we were just talking. I barely know her. You barely know her. Cat, on the other hand, Alex, she’s one of us. She understands life in the Teams and is probably better equipped to cope.”
Alex was amazed. John understood this better than Alex did himself.
“So what do I do about Leila?” Alex asked.
John smiled. “Leila is her code name. Do you even know her real name?”
Alex shook his head. “Do you think she and Danny had a romantic relationship?”
John shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“I sure know how to make a mess of things,” Alex said.
“But you usually find a way to make it right,” John said, picking up his Bible and reading.
Alex continued thinking for half an hour. He didn’t need any more time. He’d wasted enough already. “Thanks.”
John grunted.
Alex stood, left John’s room, walked over to Leila’s door, and knocked. She opened it. “Come in.”
Alex walked inside and his head began to spin. He tried to read her fa
ce, but his head was too dizzy to read anything. “Can we sit?”
She nodded and they sat down.
He didn’t know what to say, so he tried to start from the beginning and kept going. “The first time I saw you, I couldn’t help thinking how beautiful you are. When you told me what happened to your husband and son, I wanted to help you. We had some tough times on this mission, like the death march through the Lut Desert, but you stayed calm, you helped us, and we made it through. Every time. You’re intelligent, talented, and honest, and I wanted to know more about you.”
“But,” she said.
“I have to fix things with Cat,” Alex said.
“She seems like she does not want to fix things.”
“I have to try. I have to believe I can. It’s time to up my game.”
“Up your game?” Leila asked.
“Do better. I should’ve done better a long time ago.”
“I was afraid of this.”
“JSOC still wants you on this mission. The guys and I want you on this mission.”
“I want to continue.”
“And I want to stay friends with you.”
“When she came through that door, I was afraid of this.”
“I’m sorry.” He paused. “I don’t know how to say this, so I’ll just say it. Tomorrow, if we’re still waiting for the rescue mission, I need to spend some time with Cat.”
“What if she does not want to spend time with you?”
“I have to believe she will. And I don’t want you to have to stay in this hotel room alone all day. I’m thinking maybe Pancho and John can show you around Germany, if you like.”
She scratched her head. “I do not want to see Germany. I want to see you. Just let her go.”
“I can’t.”
“Yes, you can.”
Alex said nothing.
“My real name is Shalah Farshid,” she said. “Farshid was my family name before I married.”
Alex remained silent.
Easy Day for the Dead Page 12